We all experience changes in our lives –
some are desired, many are not. When we get to the juncture of change, we often
ask, “What’s next?” It seems the more actionable question is: “What now?”

Here’s a typical “What’s Next?” question:
What are you going to do when the children leave the nest? Frankly, you may
have an idea or two in mind but you won’t really know until you’re presented
with that change in your life. Yes, you can plan ahead for anticipated changes
but most changes come from out of the blue.

When presented with a new,
out-of-the-blue reality, it seems best to not plan what you’re going to do
next, but rather pay attention to what you’re doing now. Now is the step to then.

Paying attention to now means
acknowledging what’s going on now, not what you’d “like” to be going on now or
what “should” be going on now, but what is actually happening right now. This
awareness grounds you in reality, the best jump off point to “What’s next.”

My experience is that most of us ground
ourselves in illusion when we are presented with change. It’s a protection
mechanism that doesn’t work. Part of that illusion is planning what’s next
without really knowing what’s happening now. You can’t get to next without
going through now.

We seem to want to skip over the station
in life we’re experiencing now so we can plan where we want to be next. Knowing
where you truly are now is the best preparation for next. Fully feel where you
are now. Pay attention to your body; it will always bring you back to now. It’s
from this grounding that the best way forward will come to light.

Paying attention to “now” has you feel
your feelings rather than denying them.Taking time to feel the sensations that change has brought about is the
best planning tool for the future because your planning will come from a real
place, not one you made up in your head.

Attempting to gloss over now to get to
then will keep your wheels spinning again and again no matter how grand your
future plan.

You can’t get to then without going
through the sensations of now. Knowing the step you’re on now is the first step
towards then, and acknowledging your feelings gives your mind the quiet
planning stage of Zen.